Question please. I purchased two Walker Quiet-Flow Stainless Steel Mufflers for my 1989 at my local parts store. The drivers side is part # 22397 and the passenger is # 22396. I brought them home. They were both the right parts, except the passenger side had rows of spot welds, 15 spot welds on both sides of the muffler, whereas the drivers side is smooth with no spot welds. You can see a photo of the passenger vs drivers sides at the link below. Here's my question. I want them both to look the same so if the car is on a hoist they look the same. My local parts store ordered me another passenger and it had the same spot welds. I called Walker.com and the tech guy said he doesn't know why they are different, but they should work the same. I'm not trying to be too picky, but should I just put them on like this ? I am considering painting them both black, but it would be nice to have them look the same. Thank you for any thoughts.

Walker passenger side # 22396
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....WL._SL256_.jpg

Walker drivers side # 22397
https://images.oreillyauto.com/parts.../wal/22397.jpg

 

Just put them on noone will see

 

Did you flip them "upside down" and the see the welds? My guess is that the inside chambers are the same (same design) and they just flip them with a new inlet hole.

 

I installed the same walker quiet flows, p/n's 22396 and 22397, on my 85, and I do not have spot welds on either muffler. both match. purchased through summit racing sometime last year. I do not have an answer for you on why. the only thing I can figure is maybe a different manufacturing process from then to now. not sure what you should do here - like you, this would bug the hell out of me. I would want them to look the same. I guess you could return them, locally, and purchase elsewhere. try summit - free shipping over $99, and if the same issue exists, return them under a quality issue - summit picks up the return shipping costs.

 

If you are going to return the mufflers, just consider putting stock on.
The walkers and stock are SO SO similar that there is no real difference.

On my 89, I removed the pre cats, put on a performance catalysis and left my factory mufflers. Sounds really good and I picked up a SOTP improvements.

BTW... no rivets

 

Last month I went the cheaper route and installed the Walker Sound FX mufflers on my 86 (cheaper version of the Quiet Flows). They were $62 a piece before the gift certificate I used came to $117 OTD with free shipping from Summit Racing. Fit was good and I cant believe how quiet they are.

 

Unless you spend the extra money to prep the SS cases, that paint will just peel off.

I think your being too picky ........ you can only see one muffler at a time.

 

For those who think I'm being too picky, won't even argue with your point cause you are correct, I am flawed. I know I could ignore the spot welds on the passenger muffler and put it on, but Joe C nailed it in post #4. Very irritating. I think they should both look the same and I wonder why are they welded different ??? Here's an update. I called summit racing and explained the situation and asked if they could do a parts check to see if their Walker Quiet-Flow Muffler passenger side (# 22396) had rows of spot welds and they left a message on my answering machine saying, YES, there are spot welds all over their passenger side too. Hmmm. I'm not sure what I should do here, call another place and ask them to inspect their muffler for spot welds, or just install the one I have. I'm leaning towards installing it as it may not be worth the aggravation to hunt down another Walker muffler without spot welds.

Note: I also bought some high heat paint for barbeques and want to paint both black, but based on JrRifleCoach's post #7 I should research it more. I planned to wash them with soap and water and then lightly scuff them with sandpaper and paint them, but I won't do it if the paint will just peel off. Painting mufflers should probably be a different thread though.

 

No worries; me too!

You know what you want so don't compromise. Corvettes are more passion than logic so embrace your crazy and own it.

Ask my wife. She will tell you I'm certifiable.

 

Mmmm, this might bring waxers to whole new level

 

painted mine black with stove paint 5 years ago. They didn't peel

 

I purchased some Walker Quiet-flows and have been on my car for one and a half years. Here is my assessment:

Why Walker Quiet-Flows
I wanted an OEM direct fit mufflers that my Mid America exhaust tips would fit straight on. Walker seem to make OEM mufflers so I thought the quality would be good and they do boast about American made. Also they claimed 25% more flow than stock despite being quiet.

Assessment
First disappointment, the exhaust tips were smaller than the OEM mufflers. I had to buy new tips (4 of them) at great expense and get an exhaust shop to weld them on which is not what I expected as these mufflers are suppose to be identical to the originals. The material felt 3 times thinner and weighed heaps less than the OEM mufflers. For good measure I spray painted the mufflers satin black with high temp exhaust paint.

Durability
After just 1.5 years driving the car fairly limited the bracket mount broke off and exposed a hole in the muffler body. The muffler rusted from inside out. At the moment its holding there with some bubba coat hanger and a hose clamp to level the exhaust to the bar.

Next Path
I bought some 1986-1990 Manga flow (trying another reputable muffler brand that is American ) back mufflers with LT1 tips from Corvette America for $375 with a Labour day discount bringing it to $315 odd. Delivery is killing me as I am in Australia. I am hoping durability will be way better than the Walkers and being straight through mufflers the noise will be sportier but smooth and minimal drone. Also liking the LT1 OEM looking tips as the bumper cutout is straight.

 

...LOL you guys commenting on the matter of my being too picky literally just made me chuckle out loud hahahaha ...guys it's a serious problem and this muffler with spot welds all over it is only making it worse. ;-) Re: XR_Strider_GuY's post #12 buying Walker Quiet-flows and how the bracket mount broke off and exposed a hole in the muffler body after 1.5 years, thank you for sharing and it's interesting you mention it because THAT'S why I bought the Quiet-Flow Stainless Steel Mufflers. Like Cjunkie in post #6, I always purchased the Walker mufflers priced lower than the Quiet-Flow's. I don't know the name, maybe the Walker Sound FX mufflers, but they only had a one year warranty and the bracket mount would always break off and expose a hole in the muffler body after 1-2 years. They sounded good, but I had to replace them every couple years because of this major (intended ?) flaw. That's why I bought the Quiet-Flow Stainless Steel ones to avoid this aggravation. I was told they have a life-time warranty and if the bracket breaks off again they will replace it. PS — appreciate your experience painting your mufflers Cruisinfanatic. Gives me a little courage to take a chance like Columbus did and do it.

 

Go buy a quality set of SS mufflers. If you're gonna be cheap, deal with it.

 

The decision has been made to install both the drivers side muffler (WITHOUT the spot welds) and the passenger side muffler (WITH spot welds). I just sanded both mufflers and washed them with soap and water. They are sitting in the sun drying as I type. Next move is to paint them black and then take them to a local garage to get installed. Once again big thank you to ALL of you for your help.

 

Quick update: I installed both Walker Quiet-Flow Mufflers. They sound good. A low, confident rumble, but not too loud. I also painted both mufflers black with High heat spray paint (used for barbeques, stove pipe, engine). I sanded them with 600 grit sandpaper, washed with soap and water, let dry, used 3 cans of spray paint over about 10 hours applying light coats until the last few coats when I sprayed it on thicker. I let dry for 24 hrs before installing them on car. I have driven the car and so far the paint has stayed on, but it's only been a few days. Time will tell how long it lasts. That's it and that's that. Thank you.

 

You will be good. I did something similar to my mufflers months ago. Your mufflers will get hot but nowhere as hot as the grills on a flame heated BBQ grill.

 

Thank you for those words of encouragement, billschroeder5842. I'm keeping a can of spray paint ready for some touch-up just in case !!! :-)

 

the factory mufflers were black. So you are going the NCRS route. 😏

 

Picky or not, that's pretty sloppy work on Walker's part. I wonder where it was really made.